Welcome to Trainer Tuesday! Each week, we ask trainers a question and gather their answers for you. These trainers have a range of experience, backgrounds, and focus points of their programs, so the answers have as much variation as you would expect, and also probably much more similarity.
This week’s question is: How important is variety in horses’ training, and what are some ways you incorporate it?
Here are their answers:
“I believe variety in training is very important, especially for a horse’s mind. I never want a horse to become sour or feel like their job is monotonous. I want them to enjoy their work, because I believe a horse that enjoys their job will ultimately perform it better. With our hunter jumpers, I try to incorporate a variety of work in the arena, from flatwork and gymnastics to jumping, while also encouraging my students to trail ride around the property and give the horses a change of scenery. When I was in England, it was very common to get horses out of the arena and vary their work, and while we don’t always have the same opportunities here, we try to keep their training as varied as possible.” – Nadia Tanner
“This is a great question, as my personal program is exactly this! As much as routine and structure can focus a ride, I structure the work around reading the horse daily and seeing how they feel. Remembering that horses are not robots, I would like to think their way through. I incorporate ground training to reset the mind and soften the muscles. I encourage long hacks or trail rides in the middle or end of the week to decompress and get off the farm. Navigating through trail obstacles encourages confidence and bravery. All of these can be introduced, and you can find within the obstacles, trails, or groundwork that you can school transitions better, find better tempo in your gaits, and increase rider awareness to their horses, making a stronger team and bond.” – Sadé Cain
“Variety is incredibly important in a horse’s training, both mentally and physically. Horses, just like people, benefit from changes in their routine, and I believe one of our responsibilities as trainers is to keep horses interested in their work while also developing them into well-rounded, sound athletes.
Horses should not be over-schooled, and this is especially important when it comes to jumping. Repeatedly jumping fences doesn’t necessarily make a better jumper. I incorporate plenty of flatwork and basic dressage exercises to develop lightness, softness, balance, and suppleness. Improving those qualities on the flat greatly improves the horse’s jumping without putting unnecessary miles on his legs.
I also like to get horses out of the arena. A day of trail riding gives them a mental break from schooling while still providing valuable conditioning. Different terrain, hills, and footing encourage the horse to use his body in ways he may not experience working on a groomed arena surface. It can also help develop confidence and give the horse an opportunity to simply enjoy being a horse.
Turnout is another huge part of the equation for me. I understand that not every facility has access to large pastures or extensive acreage, but as much turnout as reasonably possible is incredibly valuable. It provides mental relaxation, but it also contributes to physical fitness. Moving naturally throughout the day helps develop and maintain muscles and supports the strength of tendons, ligaments, and other structures in a way that an hour of scheduled exercise simply cannot replace.
Variety can also be as simple as changing the questions we ask—incorporating poles, cavaletti, transitions, lateral work, groundwork, hacking, hills, or occasionally working in a different environment. Not every ride needs to be an intense training session.
Ultimately, variety is important for both the horse and the rider. A horse that is mentally fresh, physically strong, and interested in his work is much more likely to remain a willing and happy partner. And I think riders benefit from getting outside of their own routines as well. Good training isn’t about drilling one skill over and over; it’s about developing the whole horse.” – Val McCloskey
